Here’s the roundup of some of the latest prominent signings from this year’s draft class. For more on the 2021 draft, check out the prospect rankings and scouting reports compiled by Baseball America, Fangraphs, MLB Pipeline, The Athletic’s Keith Law, and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel. As well, here is MLB Pipeline’s breakdown of the slot values assigned to each pick in the first 10 rounds, as well as the bonus pool money available to all 30 teams.
- The Diamondbacks signed second-round pick Ryan Bliss for a $1.25MM bonus, Baseball America’s Carlos Collazo reports (Twitter link). This represents some noteworthy savings for Arizona’s draft pool, as the 42nd overall pick has an assigned slot price of $1,771,100. A shortstop from Auburn, Bliss might move to second base in the pros, and he displayed a lot of contact skills at the plate while also flashing some added power potential this year.
- The Yankees signed second-rounder Brendan Beck, with Collazo reporting that a $1.05MM bonus for the Stanford right-hander. It’s another below-slot deal, as $1.307MM is the assigned price for the 56th overall selection. Beck does a good job of mixing a four-pitch arsenal and he already has good command, and Baseball America feels Beck “projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter who has a chance to be more.”
- The Orioles announced the signing of second-rounder Connor Norby on Friday, with The Baltimore Sun’s Jon Meoli reporting (via Twitter) that Norby received a $1.7MM bonus. The 41st overall selection has a $1,813,500 assigned price, so Norby signed for slightly below slot. Fangraphs and Keith Law each had the East Carolina second baseman ranked 25th on their boards, as Norby received praise for his well-rounded approach at the plate.
Wow, great updates
Gotta love how some of these kids sign under slot value. They accept poor financial advise from their agent, family, or both. I would never take an underslot bonus.
I think sometimes these agreements are made at the time of the draft.
It’s easy for a team to go to an agent, and get a feel for how much the kid is willing to sign for.
What’s to stop them from shaking hands on a rough deal?
You’d probably not get selected, then.
Draftees that sign under slot are also drafted ahead of their expected slot. If they turn down the offer (which is always made informally, before the selection) the team will pick someone else, and they will fall back down to where they were supposed to go. The bonus there will be a little lower than they were offered to go higher. So you don’t get more money if you turn them down, AND you lose prestige by going lower. It’s a no-brainer.
Hopefully you have an agent/advisor who explains why you’re likely making a financial mistake. If you have me, my firm, LordD Corporation, will be your advisor to prevent this from happening.
For this example, you’re Henry Davis. Congrats, Henry, you have a big payday coming, although we’re not quite sure how big yet, although we have good approximation. You’re regarded as a top prospect, someone who will go in the top 10, maybe even backend top 5.
As your advisor, I’ve got good news for you. Every team with a top 10 pick has contacted me already. They want an understanding of what it will take to sign you. Others teams with top 20 picks have also reached out, but there’s no scenario where we’ll let you fall below #6 or 7 unless a team can guarantee you top 6 money. That means you’re looking at 5,750,000 to 6,000,000 from some team. I have additional really good news. The Pirates have the #1 pick and they want you if you’ll sign below slot. This is your lucky day because this is a big draft for them and they want to push a couple million of the slot money down for other players. If you say no, demanding full slot at $8.4MM, they’ll sign another player at #1. I know the D’backs are interested at #6, and slot there is $5.7MM, but I think I can get you $800K more if agree to a below slot deal with the Pirates. Other teams between the D-backs also have an interest based on your asking price, but none above or even at slot, so the Pirates offer $1.9MM below slot is the best offer you’ll get. If you say no, I’m firing you as your representative!
Good explanation, and thrilling enactment. Hired!
The folks that don’t understand why a kid would sign for under-slot money, don’t know how the system works. It should be obvious, but maybe they just don’t want to believe it.
At least we know that you’re all about playing for the money and not because you actually love the game
Which is exactly why you aren’t paid to be the Agent for these kids.
Everyone interested in Connor Norby was interested in signing him under slot value. In fact, if he was willing to go under value enough he could have went round 1. However, no one was interested in paying him slot value so if you were his agent he goes in Round 3. He just lost a few hundred K.
Brendan Beck has the stuff to be drafted Rd 2 BUT He EASILY could have fell into the 3rd round. Possibly deep into the 3rd Round & just maybe being an absolute steal in the Early 4th Rd, especially if you demand slot value. Now He isn’t making over $1 Million like he did by signing under slot.
Ryan Bliss is a good Prospect but teams were VERY opinionated about him. At the plate he put up the numbers you want to see from a SS/MIF & he did it in the best Conference in College Baseball. The buzz around the league is that his arm isnt good enough to stick at SS so teams were labeling him a 2nd Baseman. However, most of his power was to the Pull Side & he is small. Then you factor in the wooden bats & a lot of teams are being handed scouting reports saying he is a contact hitting 2nd Baseman. He easily could have been drafted in round 3. Possibly in Jose Torres territory (or after Jose Torres). Now he is making half the money he was b4.
One or more of these guys find out they could have made a lot more $$$ AND Been drafted higher. They tell their friends, former teammates, former coaches & new teammates about what happened. They might even replace you with a new Agent but they’re definitely letting people know they could have been a Millionaire/2nd Round Pick. Coaches will tell their players not to work with you. They might even tell recruits they developed someone into a 2nd Rd pick with a million dollar offer but the agent blew it. New Team mates (in the minors) tell their former teammates (from college). The former teammates (that went to school with the guy) tell their new teammates (Freshman that didnt even play with the guy).
Just like that, You wont be signing any Clients from those schools anymore. Plus, Ur not signing this player here & there cuz they heard about you since they went to school with someone that played with your former client in the minor leagues…or at Cape Cod a year or 2 ago. That’s even with us hoping players dont have contacts throughout their conference.
Ur business has taken a hit cuz refusing to sign a player to an under slot deal cost guys a few hundred thousand dollars plus the prestige of being drafted higher. U can own up to the mistake & start signing under slot deals when that’s the best deal 4 ur client. Or you can stick to refusing anything under slot until NO ONE Will hire you anymore.
Now let’s just say U agree to sign whatever it takes to get them to draft your client. Since that’s the only way to get these Clients drafted this high. U clearly are the smartest guy in the world & a world champion negotiator. U suddenly refuse to sign for the amount of money that was discussed. U will NEVER sign under slot value. Your client will go to school & RUIN the teams Signing Bonus pool if they don’t give you slot value (or whatever ur asking for). You MIGHT get away with this once. Ruin the teams draft plans & make them pay you slot value as they scramble to find somewhere else to save money. Re-planning their draft, not signing that overslot post Rd 10 player OR Pleading with their other draft picks to sign for less than they had discussed. Well, U just ticked off & lost the trust of an MLB GM AND The entire teams scouting department.
He tells other GMs not to trust you. The scouts talk to other scouts about you. They certainly aren’t taking the blame for their draft not going the way they planned. Now GMs & Scouts all over the MLB dont want to draft your clients anymore. They have no interest in negotiating with someone that uses the Draft Signing Pool as blackmail to get more $$ than agreed to. U might get a client here or there that teams will draft but for the most part anyone that signs with you slides in the draft. Those players find out why, They tell others. Eventually U cant get anyone to hire u & Ur no longer an Agent.
In other words, one way or another to be a successful Agent ur gonna have 2 adjust start taking some under slot value deals. That is an effective way to get ur client the most money.
Stupid comments. Most of the top players are going under slot. Only Kumar Rocker is over slot in the top 10. Slot is a guide nothing else. Most are not walking away from the $. 200k to 300k isn’t going to make or break their decision. For the team, it’s huge to be able to snag a higher ranked guy because they have money now to spend. Pittsburgh saved a ton & then drafted 6 HS players. They couldn’t do that if they didn’t get Davis so far under slot. Tigers will get Jobe under slot. They need to have extra $$ for their 2nd pick out of HS.
Know what you speak of….First of all Kumar Rocker HASN’T signed any contract yet, as a matter of fact the Mets are negotiating down because he can’t pass a physical due to a bum elbow….but then again, it’s the Mets
Hence the reason you’re only making comments and t an actual agent
I’m truly asking, as I do not know….can these initial contracts have incentives built-in, which don’t count toward the draft pool money?
Not monetary ones other than standard pay for college clause
If you watch Matt Antonelli on youtube (former first rounder who has insightful channel on these things) no is answer. Its money only.
No these are bonuses not salary arrangements. It’s a one time payment and that’s it. Salary (which for minor leaguers is a relative pittance) is a separate negotiation, although it’s pretty standard.
Thanks for the informative responses and without any mocking. It’s nice when the message board works the way it should 🙂